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A Controlled Comparison of Flupenthixol Decanoate Injections and Oral Amitriptyline in Depressed Out-Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

W. Tam ,
J. P. R. Young ,
G. John  and
M. H. Lader
W. Tam
Affiliation:
University of Hong Kong; formerly Clinical Research Assistant, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry
J. P. R. Young
Affiliation:
St Thomas's Hospital, London
G. John
Affiliation:
Stone House Hospital, Dartford, Kent; St Thomas's Hospital
M. H. Lader
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5
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Summary

Sixty-eight depressed out-patients were allocated to treatment with either oral amitriptyline (75–225 mg/day) or intramuscular flupenthixol decanoate (10–30 mg every 14 days) in flexible dosage for 12 weeks under double-blind procedures. Various observer- and self-rating scales were applied before and after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. Twenty-four patients completed the course of amitriptyline and 20 the course of flupenthixol. All variables improved over time, but there were no significant differences between the two drugs. The Newcastle scores pre-treatment were not related to drug response suggesting that both drugs were similarly effective across a wide spectrum of depressive disorders. Patients on amitriptyline tended to complain of dry mouth; those on flupenthixol had a higher incidence of extrapyramidal signs, the majority receiving anti-parkinsonian drugs at some time during the treatment. Flupenthixol decanoate in low dose is a useful anti-depressant, but should be restricted to short courses of treatment, to patients refractory to other treatments, and to patients suspected of poor compliance.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 140 , Issue 3 , March 1982 , pp. 287 - 291
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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